Wednesday, January 26, 2011

embrace sweets

If someone, who has never had a brownie before and then says – “This was the best brownie I have ever had,” you know that, that’s a pretty good brownie. But when someone, who is 75 years young, considers himself a connoisseur of all things chocolate, with brownies on top his list, and is your friends, well known curmudgeonly father, there is nothing that you can really do but stand up and take notice.

Like any good artisan baked good worth it’s salt, pardon the pun, the minute you lift the lid, you are immediately knocked over with rich wafts of chocolate. You can just tell by looking at them, that they are going to be gooood which is always the ultimate in good (you know, when you are compelled to put more o’s in the word good).

Each perfectly, rich, chewy and gooey brownie is carefully crafted to prevent you from getting into the skinny jeans you haven’t been able to get into since 2007. But no matter – there is always next year and honestly bikini season will be over before you know it.

We tried several flavors, but apparently, just to make us a little crazy, the flavors rotate based on the seasonality of the ingredients. So don’t hesitate, leave your New Year’s Resolutions by the side of the road, forget about the fact dinner is in a few minutes and just indulge. Really, it’s “so” worth it.

For the chocoholic it doesn’t get better than the Tres Chocolate. Basically this is a brownie that can’t stop getting enough of a good thing. The Chunky Walnut is chock full of the most wonderful toasted buttery, crunchy and meaty walnuts and the PB Royale, which is laced with chunks of Reese’s Peanut Butter cup is divine. For those who love raspberry and chocolate, the Chocolate Raspberry has your name all over it. Like all Embrace Sweets brownies, they are generous with their ingredients and you get a rewarding mouthful of raspberry sauce with each mouthful. We also enjoyed the Hot Chocolate which has just the right amount of kick. Our favorites were the Smoked Sea Salt Caramel which had indulgent rivers of caramel and just the right pinch of salt and the Blanc Chocolate Mac, a white chocolate brownie that was so perfectly buttery and creamy you just couldn’t stand it.

All of Embrace Sweets chocolates comes in their adorable signature packaging which makes them perfect as gifts – only if you can control yourself.